Wondering what to do with an old mattress in NZ? If it’s clean and in good shape, someone else may be glad of it. If it’s worn out, look for a mattress recycler near you. If there isn’t one, your council’s inorganic collection or a transfer station is the last stop.
Quick answer: check the condition first. A clean, undamaged mattress can go to a charity that accepts mattresses (phone first, because many don’t), or you can sell it or give it away. A stained, ripped or damaged mattress is unlikely to be accepted by a charity, so look for a recycling option: in Auckland, several community recycling centres accept mattresses. If there’s no recycling near you, book your council’s inorganic collection if it has one, or take it to a transfer station, where you’ll usually pay a fee.
Is there a mattress recycling scheme in NZ?
Not a national one. Mattresses aren’t among the six priority products the Government has declared for product stewardship, and no mattress scheme appears on the Ministry for the Environment’s list of currently accredited product stewardship schemes. So what’s available depends on where you live.
All Heart NZ, which ran a mattress recycling trial in Auckland, said in 2023 that around 300,000 mattresses a year end up in landfill in New Zealand, where they are hard to compact and can clog machinery. Its trial recycled 77% of the mattress components. Its recycling service is offered to businesses rather than households.
What to do with an old mattress: a quick decision path
- Is it still in good condition? Clean, with no stains, rips or damage, and not too old? Then donate, sell or give it away. Phone the charity first.
- Is it worn out, stained or damaged? Then recycle it if there’s a mattress recycler or community recycling centre near you that takes mattresses.
- No recycling near you? Then use your council’s inorganic collection (if your council runs one), or take it to a transfer station or landfill and pay the disposal fee.
Not sure whether it’s worn out? Our guide to the signs you need a new mattress covers sagging, lumps and other giveaways.
Donating an old mattress to charity
Many charities and op shops can’t take mattresses, and those that do have strict rules. Always check before you drop one off or book a pick-up. Here’s what some say on their own websites:
- The Salvation Army Family Stores offer free collection of donated goods: book online or call 0800 4 COLLECT. Its website doesn’t say whether stores take mattresses, so ask when you call.
- St Vincent de Paul (Vinnies) Wellington won’t take stained mattresses or water beds, and asks you to phone before donating a mattress without a base. It can arrange collection for larger items.
- De Paul House on Auckland’s North Shore accepts practical items for families setting up a new home, but not broken, stained or damaged goods, or mattresses six or more years old.
- Hospice West Auckland won’t take ripped or stained mattresses, and all beds and bases must be under 10 years old. It offers free pick-up of large furniture items by arrangement on 0508 4 HOSPICE.
- Tipping Point in Henderson accepts new or like-new mattresses at its shop, though acceptance depends on condition.
- Auckland City Mission accepts some goods, but its collection van won’t pick up mattresses or beds.
The rule of thumb from Hospice West Auckland works well: would you give it to someone you know? If not, a charity probably can’t sell it either, and it costs them money to dispose of goods they can’t use.
Mattress recycling and disposal by region
Auckland
Auckland Council says you can include a mattress in your inorganic collection, or take it to a community recycling centre or op shop. Its list of places that accept mattresses includes Resource Recovery Devonport, Onehunga Zero Waste, Tāmaki Zero Waste Hub, Wairau Zero Waste Hub, Manurewa Community Recycling Centre and the Waitākere Resource Recovery Park in Henderson. Policies and charges vary, so phone ahead.
Resource Recovery Devonport, for example, strips mattresses down to recover what it can, including the steel springs, and sends the rest to energy recovery instead of landfill. It charges per mattress by size, and won’t take heavily soiled, water-damaged or medical mattresses, or mattresses with bed bugs.
Inorganic collection: every Auckland property that pays the Waste Management Targeted Rate can book one inorganic collection a year at no extra cost, online, at a library with council services or on 09 301 0101. If you live in a complex with 10 or more dwellings, your body corporate or property manager needs to make a bulk booking.
Wellington
We couldn’t find a public mattress recycling drop-off in Wellington City when we checked in late October 2026, so the council’s options are reuse or disposal.
- Reuse: the council’s Tip Shop at the Southern Landfill accepts donated items in reusable condition. Mattresses aren’t on its list, so email tipshopenquiries@wcc.govt.nz before you take one.
- Disposal: the Southern Landfill Transfer Station accepts general domestic waste. General waste is charged by weight: $327.57 a tonne for domestic vehicles, with a $33 minimum, cash and eftpos only (checked 28 October 2026).
If you live elsewhere in the region, check with your own council.
Christchurch
Christchurch City Council’s EcoDrop Resource Recovery Centres take many reusable household items for free, but not bedding, and that includes mattresses. A mattress goes in as general rubbish at one of the three EcoDrop transfer stations (Metro Place in Bromley, Parkhouse Road in Wigram or Styx Mill Road in Redwood), open 7am to 4.30pm daily except Good Friday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
General refuse is charged by weight: EcoCentral’s 2026/27 charges are $458.69 a tonne including GST, with an $18.40 minimum (effective from 1 July 2026, checked 28 October 2026).
Everywhere else: check your council
Search your city or district council’s website for “mattress”, “inorganic collection” or “transfer station”. Look for a resource recovery centre or zero waste hub too, as some take mattresses, and phone ahead to check what’s accepted and what it costs.
Selling or giving away an old mattress
If your mattress is in good condition, you could sell it or give it away on Trade Me, Facebook Marketplace, or a local free or buy-and-sell group. Auckland Council suggests donating or selling items before putting them out for inorganic collection.
Be upfront in your listing. Give its age and condition, including any stains, damage or sagging, and use clear photos. People buying privately buy second-hand goods “as seen”, and if a seller makes a serious false or misleading statement, the buyer may be able to cancel the sale or claim compensation, says Consumer Protection.
Be realistic too. Health NZ advises people to avoid buying second-hand mattresses because of bed bugs, so some buyers will be wary of any used mattress.
Hygiene and safety: what to check first
- Bed bugs. Health NZ says bed bugs hide in dry, dark places such as mattresses, headboards and bed frames, and you may spot live bugs, cast-off skins, eggs or small dark brown or black marks. They can be carried into homes in second-hand furniture, bedding or clothing. If you find them, don’t donate, sell or give the mattress away. Health NZ recommends finding where the infestation is and using a pesticide or hiring a pest control expert.
- Stains and damage. Stained, ripped, damp or mouldy mattresses are the ones charities and recovery centres turn away, so they’re best recycled or disposed of.
- Strip it. Take off sheets and protectors before you hand it on. Resource Recovery Devonport, for one, takes only the bare mattress and base.
Ask your retailer about taking the old one away
Buying a new mattress? Ask your retailer whether it can take your old mattress away when your new one is delivered.
Before you buy a new mattress
Make sure you need one first. Read the signs you need a new mattress and our guide to body impressions in your mattress before you decide. When you’re ready to shop, you can find a Dreamland stockist near you.
Old mattress FAQs
What should I do with my old mattress in NZ?
If it’s clean and in good condition, donate it (check the charity’s rules first), sell it or give it away. If it’s worn out, recycle it where you can. If there’s no recycling near you, use your council’s inorganic collection or a transfer station.
How do I get rid of a mattress in NZ?
Start with your council’s website. In Auckland you can put it in your annual inorganic collection or take it to a community recycling centre. In Wellington and Christchurch, a mattress that can’t be reused goes to the transfer station as general waste, charged by weight.
Where can I recycle a mattress in Auckland?
Auckland Council lists community recycling centres that accept mattresses, including Resource Recovery Devonport, Onehunga Zero Waste, Tāmaki Zero Waste Hub and the Waitākere Resource Recovery Park. Phone first to check charges.
Is there mattress recycling in Wellington?
We couldn’t find a public mattress recycling drop-off in Wellington City in October 2026. A reusable mattress may suit a charity such as Vinnies (phone first), and the Southern Landfill Transfer Station takes general waste.
Do charities take old mattresses?
Some do, but only if they’re clean and in good condition, and many have age limits. De Paul House won’t take mattresses six or more years old, and Hospice West Auckland’s beds and bases must be under 10 years old. Auckland City Mission’s van won’t collect mattresses. Always phone first.
Is there a mattress stewardship scheme in New Zealand?
No. Mattresses aren’t a declared priority product, and no mattress scheme is on the Ministry for the Environment’s list of accredited product stewardship schemes.
Sources: Ministry for the Environment, Priority product stewardship; Ministry for the Environment, Product stewardship accreditation; All Heart NZ, Finding a recycling solution for bed mattresses; The Salvation Army, Family Stores; St Vincent de Paul Society Wellington, Donate goods; De Paul House, Donated goods; Hospice West Auckland, Donate goods; Tipping Point, Donate goods and materials; Auckland City Mission, Food and goods donations; Auckland Council, How to get rid of mattress, pillows, cushions; Auckland Council, Book your inorganic collection; Resource Recovery Devonport, Mattress drop-off; Wellington City Council, Tip Shop and Recycle Centre; Wellington City Council, Types of waste accepted; Wellington City Council, Landfill charges; Christchurch City Council, EcoDrop transfer stations and Resource Recovery Centres; EcoCentral, EcoDrop Canterbury; Consumer Protection, Private sales and second-hand goods; Health NZ Te Whatu Ora, Bed bugs.
Edited by Quill, 8 Hours editor
Last updated: 30 October 2026
Quill is the AI editor of 8 Hours. Articles are researched and drafted with AI, then checked and approved by a person on the 8 Hours team before publishing.
8 Hours is owned and published by NZ bedding company Dreamland, and our articles include links to Dreamland. We aim to give advice that is useful whichever brand you choose.
